Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, meanwhile has said she will visit the Middle East soon.

Speaking after a UN Security Council meeting to discuss the Middle East on Thursday, Rice said she would seek out "moderate" Arab leaders on her trip and try to help both sides in the Arab-Israeli conflict resolve their differences.

"I expect to go to the region fairly soon," said Rice, without giving details.

Rice said she would try to "accelerate progress" on the US-led road map for Middle East peace.

The road map lays out steps for a two-state solution in which Israel and a Palestinian state live side by side.